Thread-controller for sewing-machines.



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J VIy vento@ n. s. sEYIIIouII. IIIIIEIIII coIIIIIcIIEII Foa SEWING IIIAoIIIIIEs.

APPLICATION FILED siPLzs. 1912. Y y

' Patem/ July 2G, Qa.

' jy/M49@ D. S. SEYMOUR.

THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES. I

t. Y APPucATxoN FILED senza. mz. Li-@90%.- Panam July 2o, 1915.

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fn.-s. SEYMOUR. THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZS. i912- 1,147,048.

4 suffssheir 4.

' Patented July 2o, 1915.

garras PATENT OFFICE.'

DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPF-CIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

THREAB-CONTROLLER- FOR SEWINGJVIACHINES.

Llamas. f

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known vthat I, DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at 300 West Kinzie street, Chicago, ,in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Controllers for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a. description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the ligures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in multiple needle sewing Ina-- chines, and more especially to the tension controlling means therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide Vmeans for simultaneously releasing the tensions of the several threads in a multiple needle machine, which means is controlled by a knee shift or treadle which preferably operates to lirst raise the presser foot from the material, so that by the manipulation of the one device the presser foot may be raised and tl.. tension released on all the needle threads, whereby the material may be readily withdrawn from the machine,.

ln the drawings, which show by way of illustration, one embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a rear view of a sewing machine en'lbodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a per# spective view of the tension supporting bracket, the tensions carried thereby, and the means for releasing the tensions. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the releasing lever for the tension releasing mechanism. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the supporting bracket for the tensions and through aportion of the arms of the machine. Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of al portion of the tension supporting bracket. Fig. 7 isl a vertical 'sectional view through a portion of the tension supporting bracket, showing the releasing plate moved to release the tension.

l have shown my improved tension releasing device applied to a sewing machine having the usual work support 1, overhanging arm 9., in which reciprocates a needle bar 3, carrying a needle head Ll, and a plurality of spaced needles 5, which are four in number, as herein illustrated. The needle bar is reciprocat-d by the needle lever 6, which is Specification of Letters Patent.

operated by a strap and link connection 7 from the main shaft 8.

The material is held on the work support 1 by a presser foot 9, which is carried by a presser bar 10. The presser bar 10 is held depressed by a leaf spring 11, which bears on a pin 12, carried by a collar fixed to the presser bar. The presser bar may be raised 'to lift the presser foot from the material by a lever 13, which is pivoted at 14 to the overhanging arm and projects forwardly so that its free end, when raised, will engage the pin 12, and lift the presser bar. The lever 14 is normally held depressed at its forward end by a spring 15. The rearwardly proJecting part 16A of the lever 13 is connected to a chain or other flexible member 17, and this -lexible member is, in turn, connected with a treadle or knee shift, which is of the usual character.

Each of the needles is supplied with an in- (dependent thread. These needle threads are ledvfrom the supply through tension devices 18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. Each tension device consists of two flat disks 22 and 23, which are mounted on a stem 24, and held pressed together against a supporting ledge 25 on the stemby a coil spring '26.

The tension on the spring may be adjusted by a thumb nut 27. After leaving the tensions the threads are passed around suitable guiding pins 28, thence through automatic clamping disks 29 to a guide for the threads 30, on the overhanging arm, and thence through a guide 81 on the needle lever to a guide 32 at the upper end of the needle bar,

and thence down the needle head to the needles. These tensions 18 to 21 inclusive are mounted on a bracket 33, which is formed with a shank 34, whereby said bracket is secured to the ovcrhanging arm 2 of the machine by suitable screws The bracket is so constructed as to provide an extended shelf 3G, which is arranged substantially horizontal. The stems 24 carrying the tension devices are rigidly secured to this shelf 36 and project upwardly therefrom. The tension devices are preferably spaced so as to gire a free passage for the threads therethrough. rail 3T is rigidly attached to the shelf 36, and is provided Avith a plurality of spaced thread eyes 3. through which the threads pass to the tension devices.

Patented July 20, 1915. i

Application filed September 26, 1912. Serial lo. 722,465.

maneras which. is mounted to slide on the .shelf 36,

' and on a projecting ledge 40, earried by the bracket This plate is slotted, Aas at 41, and4 a guiding screw 42 passes'through the slot into the ledge 40. The screw is provided liti With a flat head which overlaps the slot, and thus holds the plate on the ledge, but at `the same time allows said plate' to be moved freely back and forth. The plate is further guided by a second slot 43, and a screw 44 ofy similar character, which passes through the slot 43 into the shelf 36. These guiding screws permit the plate to slide back and forth on the shelf and ledge;I The plate is cut away, asV at 45, for each stern of the ten sion devices, so that the stems Will not interfere with the free sliding of the plate. In FigrQ, it Will be noted that l have provided the plate with slots 46, `vvheneby an additional tension may be placed lonA thesupporting bracket, if desired.

The plate 39 carries two posts 47, each ol' which is provided With a cross bar 48. These posts 47 are so disposed relative to the'tension devices'that the cross bar lies in a plane passing vbetvveen the tension disks 22 and 23. When the plate is at its extreme left hand position, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the cross bar is out of engagement with the tension disks 22 and 23, and the normal tension is exerted-on the thread. Vi/'hen the plate 39, however, is moved to its extreme right hand position, as shown in Fig, 3., the cross bars 48 will be forced between 'the tension disks 2:2 and 23, which Will separate said disks and thus release the threads from all tension.

As a means for moving the plate 39 back and forth, l have provided a rock lever 49. This rock lever is mounted on a projecting' bracket 50, secured to the shank of the bracket 33 by suitable screws. The rock lever 49 has an upwardly projecting arm 5l, which extends into an opening 52 in the plate 39. A coil spring 53 engages at one endY the arm 5l and at its other end is connected to `a lug 54, Ydepending from the bracket 33. This spring normally holds the plate 39 Withthe cross bar 4S out of contact with. the tension dislis. -The rock lever Ml is provided with a second arm 55, which is bent laterally, as at 56, so as to extend 'unwhich said ,lever engages 'the projection 56,'

and swings the rock lever 49, so as to release the tensions.` l/Vhile l have so positioned the parts that the'presser foot will be slightly 55 raised before the tension is released, I have,

nevertheless, a construction whereby the vpresser foot is raised and the tensions simultaneously releasedso as to free the threads from all tension, 'whereby the material may be readily vWithdiavvn from the machine.

lt will be obvious that minor changes in Y the details of construction and the arrangernent of parts may be made Without depart'- 'f needles, an overhanging arm in which the needles reciprocate, a supporting bracket attached 'to said overhanging' arm, and having a substantially horizontal shelf, a 'plurality of tensions .mounted on said shelf, one for each needle thread, plate slidably mountedA on said shelf, and .having means for simul- 'taneonsly vengaging and releasing the tensions, a rock lever for sliding the plate, and

spring for normally holding said plate vout of engagement with the tensions.

l3. The combination o a plurality of needles, an overhanging arm in which the needles reciprocate, a supporting bracket atu tached to overhanging arm, and having a substantially horizontal shelf, a plurality of tensions mounted on said shelf, one for each needle thread, a plate slidably mounted. on said shelf, and having means for simultaneously engagingand releasing the tensions, a rock lever for sliding the plate, and spring for normally holdingl said plate out of engagement with the tensions, a presser ,oot,and means for raising said presser foot and for simultaneously oscillating said rock ever to release the tension.

4. The combination of a supporting braekea'a tension device carried by said' bracket, a vsliding plate having means to engage and release said tension device, av

lever for operating said sliding plate, said bracket having an .opening therethrough through which said lever extends to enga-ge said sliding plate. v

5. i sewing machine including in combination, a supporting bracket, a postcarried thereby and extending perpendicular` thereto, a 'tension mounted on said post, al sliding' platecarried by'said bracket and liaving' enlarged openings through'which said .post extends, means carried by said sliding plate for releasing the tension', and means for sliding said plate on said bracket.

6. A sewing machine 4including in comv Intestimony' Wherv'e I a'xmy signa,-

- 'binatiom a supporting bracket, a postJ eX- ture, in' the' presence of two Witnesses.

tending perpendicular .thereto a Atension i device mounted on said post, a side carried j DUDLEY S SEYMOUR' 5 by said bracket, a post mounted on said vWitnesses:

slide, a cross bar carriedby the post for env C. MGNE1L, gaging and separating the tension devices. l lA'. C.- ABEL. 

